The famous artist/musician behind the hit song “Born Free” Kid Rock is partnering with Chevrolet to create a customized design for the 2016 Silverado 3500HD “dually” that commemorates freedom and pays tribute to the American workers.

Unveiled at the 2015 SEMA Show in Las Vegas, the truck is presented together with other customized truck concepts created to display the depth and breadth of Chevy’s line of pickup trucks.

Kid Rock, who was born in Michigan, met up with the UAW Local 598 members, the team responsible for building the truck during his visit at the assembly plant of the Silverado HD in Flint, Michigan. He then shared his ideas to customize the truck at the Chevrolet’s design studio.

Kid Rock described the flint plant and all men working on the line as “the backbone of America”. He also mentioned that he wanted a bold design for the truck but with elements and features that a working-class guy can afford.

Several upgrades in Kid Rock’s Silverado includes a custom chrome grille with the Born Free logo and an enlarged Chevy Bowtie emblem, chrome exhaust stacks and patriotic graphics painted on the body sides. Kid Rock suggested the patriotic motif at the start of the project.

A chrome-like silver-metallic design was created, portraying an industrial, made-in-Detroit aesthetic that merges seamlessly with the other bold elements of the truck. According to Todd Parker, the director of design, for Chevrolet Accessories, this was created based on Kid Rock’s input.

Black carpeted floor liners and blacked-out instrument panel with silver trim, Made in Detroit-logo sill plates and a glovebox emblem were also added together with a customized Kicker sound system.

In line with Kid Rock’s “ride to freedom and fun concept”, a pair of convertible Gibbs Sports Quadskis (from all-terrain vehicles to personal watercrafts) is attached on a trailer hitched to the Silverado 3500HD.

Powered with Duramax 6.6L turbo-diesel engine and Allison 1000 six-speed automatic transmission, the 2016 Silverado 3500HD will be able to drag these Quadskis without a hitch. The dually configured 4WD allows a maximum conventional trailering rating of 20,000 pounds (9,072 kg) and 22,600 pounds (10,251 kg) with a fifth-wheel or gooseneck hitch.

Additional features include an integrated cruise control as well as powertrain grade and diesel exhaust braking that improves control when travelling with a trailer. A Digital Steering Assist power steering is also installed on selected double cab and crew cab models which is the first for the Silverado HD fleet.

The electronic controls increase the trucks responsiveness and provide an improved steering feel. It also makes hauling and trailering easier and improves road holding and stability on the highway especially on crowned roads whether the truck is fully loaded or not. In a statement issued by Kid Rock, he said that the Silverado factory visit “was one of the coolest and most meaningful things he’d done.”

Press Release

SILVERADO 3500HD KID ROCK CONCEPT CELEBRATES FREEDOM

Inspired by his hit song “Born Free,” musician Kid Rock collaborated with Chevrolet to design a customized 2016 Silverado 3500HD “dually” that celebrates freedom and honors American workers.

The truck was introduced today at the SEMA Show in Las Vegas, where it joined other personalized Chevy truck concepts designed to showcase the depth and breadth of the brand’s pickup truck lineup.

Michigan-born Kid Rock visited the Silverado HD assembly plant in Flint, Mich., to meet with the members of UAW Local 598, who built the truck, before driving it to Chevrolet’s design studio to share his ideas for its customization.

“The Flint plant – and everyone on the line – is the backbone of America,” said Kid Rock. “I wanted the design for the truck to be bold, but with features and elements that wouldn’t be out of reach for working-class guys.”

As a result, his Silverado features several enhancements, including a custom chrome grille with the Born Free logo and an enlarged Chevy Bowtie emblem, chrome exhaust stacks and patriotic graphics that flow across the body sides.

A unique execution of the patriotic motif was an idea he expressed at the start of the project.

“With Kid Rock’s input, we came up with a chrome-like silver-metallic design that conveys an industrial, made-in-Detroit aesthetic that totally complements the other bold elements of the truck,” said Todd Parker, design director, Chevrolet Accessories.

Rounding out Kid Rock’s ride to freedom and fun is a pair of Gibbs Sports Quadskis, which convert from all-terrain vehicles to personal watercrafts. They are secured on a trailer hitched to the Silverado 3500HD, which is powered by the proven Duramax 6.6L turbo-diesel engine and Allison 1000 six-speed automatic transmission.

With the 4WD dually configuration, it offers a class-leading maximum conventional trailering rating of 20,000 pounds (9,072 kg) and 22,600 pounds (10,251 kg) with a fifth-wheel or gooseneck hitch. Features such as integrated cruise control, powertrain grade braking and diesel exhaust braking enhance control and confidence when trailering.

New for the 2016 Silverado HD is Digital Steering Assist power steering on select double cab and crew cab models. It helps make hauling and trailering easier with electronic controls that enhance road holding and stability on the highway – particularly on crowned roads – regardless of whether the truck is loaded. It also offers greater responsiveness and an improved steering feel.

“Visiting the Silverado factory was one of the coolest and most meaningful things I’ve done,” said Kid Rock. “This truck is all about celebrating the people who build it and the freedom it enables.”